Draft Dawgs: Which NFL team is best fit for Georgia LB Lorenzo Carter?

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During draft season, a lot of folks try to figure out which players are the best fits for each team. But we’re taking the opposite approach and figuring out which team is the best fit for each player. Over the next week or so, we’ll give you a Bulldogs-by-Bulldogs look at which NFL team is most likely to help each reach their full potential. Here’s a look at outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter.

Lorenzo Carter, OLB

6-foot-6, 242 pounds

Projected: Rounds 2-4

Carter’s decision to return to Georgia for his senior season paid off. Before his final season in Athens, Carter was seen as a player with tremendous athleticism and physical gifts, but hadn’t produced on the field the way his measurables suggested he should. That changed in 2017 as he made some of the biggest plays of the season and put up career highs in tackles (62), tackles for loss (8 1/2) and forced fumbles (3). His strength is controlling the edge, which includes both boxing in the run game and attacking the quarterback. As of now, most draft experts have Carter going between the second to fourth rounds but it’s possible an impressive showing in the combine could propel him into the first round.

The best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers had one of the most feared linebacker corps in the NFL for years, but the time for a rebuild has come. James Harrison finally left Pittsburgh, and the Steelers don’t have a replacement lined up to fill his legendary shoes. First-round 2015 pick Bud Dupree has disappointed through his first three seasons in the league, so Pittsburgh is probably ready to move on. Landing with the Steelers would give Carter plenty of opportunities to earn minutes and a chance to learn under defensive coordinator Kevin Butler, who’s coached Harrison and LaMarr Woodley. Beside that, who wouldn’t want to play for a perennial playoff team?

The next best fits: New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, New York Giants

5-star PG Ashton Hagans de-commits

Georgia hoops lost the commitment of point guard Ashton Hagans on Monday, as the 5-star from Covington decided to reclassify as a recruit for the Class of 2018 and reopen his recruitment. Hagans, who had been a member of the 2019 recruiting class, will now graduate early from high school and join his college of choice next season.

Hagans de-commitment should not shock Georgia basketball fans. When he made his pledge in late-December, Georgia was 8-2 and seemingly March Madness-bound, while Mark Fox’s job looked more secure than ever while the rest of the college basketball world scrambled to deal with a still-unraveling scandal. Since then, the Dawgs have gone 8-10, practically ending any tourney hopes and throwing Fox’s future in Athens into serious doubt. All that uncertainty seemed to be enough to make Hagans look elsewhere. From Seth Emerson of DawgNation:

The news comes as the Bulldogs enter the final week of the regular season and with Fox’s status a source of much speculation. Hagans and his coaches did not immediately return messages, but one person familiar with the situation tied the de-commitment to the uncertainty over Fox’s status.

“Just unsure of the situation,” the person said.

LF Keegan McGovern named National Player of the Week

Diamond Dogs leftfielder Keegan McGovern was named the National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball following a lights out showing over the last seven days. In his four games last week, McGovern batted 571 with 5 home runs, 9 RBI and 9 runs scored. Much of his production came on Saturday against Charlotte, when he smacked 3 dingers in the second game of a double-header.